


"Go, go, Kaoru-kun♪”

by rixsig-writes (rixsig)



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, High Heels, Ice Skating, Lullabies, M/M, PDA, bathtime, long distance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-28
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2019-10-18 05:07:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17574455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rixsig/pseuds/rixsig-writes
Summary: A collection of odds and ends for two soft, ridiculous boys.





	1. height difference

**Author's Note:**

> wabby and six talked about height differences and i went ham

Kaoru does his best to be a relaxed kind of guy, but he’s suddenly finding some very good reasons to stop having relaxed posture.

“Hakaze!”

Kaoru just lets his smile grow a little wider as he watches Shu cross his arms and try to stand taller—which he can’t, of course, because Shu Itsuki is already in the perpetual state of trying to seem as tall as possible.

“What?” Kaoru says with faux innocence.

“You know very well what, you’re absolutely doing this on purpose.”

“Hm~?”

Shu just scowls and seems to consider rising up on his toes for a moment before conceding defeat with a sharp huff. “Our height difference was not this pronounced before.”

“It’s only a centimeter.” Which is probably a lot to a guy that can distinguish between millimeters, huh. But it’s just so super cute that it’s winding him up this much. “Maybe you should get used to it~?”

Kaoru’s extra glad for the privacy of the handicraft club room. It lets him rise up on his own toes—like Shu was way too embarrassed to do a moment before—and smack a showy kiss right in the middle of Shu’s forehead. He winks as he turns and walks back out, the sound of Shu’s delayed sputtering lightening his steps all the rest of the day.

* * *

They make plans to meet up that Sunday for a cafe date, and shockingly, Shu doesn’t arrive there exactly five minutes early. Kaoru takes out his phone to text Kagehira the moment he confirms Shu isn’t anywhere in the shop, because if Shu hasn’t appeared by now there’s an 80% chance he’s incapacitated or literally on the floor somewhere.

While Kaoru’s busy typing out the message, eyes fixed on the screen, he hears a distinct click-click of footsteps on the antique wood floor, drawing close and then stopping right next to him. Kaoru lifts his head, prepared to have to refuse a pretty girl’s hopeful invitation, when he’s met by the sight of Shu’s face instead. A tenseness leaves Kaoru’s shoulders. “Itsuki-kun? Oh, good, you’re here. I was starting to get wo...”

Kaoru trails off. Wait. Hold on. What?

Kaoru’s eyes dart down. That familiar, narrow waist, perfectly tailored pants hugging slim legs, and...and...high heels?!

“You haven’t gotten a table yet?”

Kaoru’s eyes dart back up. Shu’s not acting like anything’s strange in the slightest, just radiating this weirdly strong aura of self-satisfaction. “Um...haha, I guess I’m just used to you beating me to the punch?”

As Shu leads the way to a table tucked away in the corner Kaoru watches Shu’s legs. Kaoru’s always known him to have a sharp, confident walk, but in those heels that walk suddenly translates into a _strut_.

Click click click. Stop.

Kaoru just barely avoids colliding into him, and Shu turns around to examine his expression. “What is it?”

Kaoru opens his mouth to answer, but then notices something else. Kaoru’s having to look up a little bit to meet his eyes. Did Shu really just…? Oh god, that’s adorable. “Hey, Itsuki-kun. Did you wear those shoes so you could be taller than me~?”

But rather than getting embarrassed this time, Shu’s nose goes up in the air, his smugness doubling. “An elegant solution, is it not?”

Kaoru finds himself staring at Shu’s long, delicately sculpted legs again. “Mm, elegant isn’t quite the word I’d use...?”

Shu’s offended for all of five seconds before it clicks, and then suddenly his gaze zeroes in on Kaoru in a way that makes him shiver. “Oh?” Then Shu leans in, using the pretense of fixing Kaoru’s collar to trail a fingertip along the sensitive skin of Kaoru’s neck with absolute precision. “Perhaps you can tell me which ones you’d rather use…”

Kaoru draws forward, heart in his throat.

“...later, in a more appropriate setting.”

Shu sits down at the little table and primly crosses his legs, picking up the menu, and Kaoru half collapses into the seat on the other side. This is going to be a long, long lunch...


	2. 3 sentence fics

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a bunch of little 3(ish) sentence fics from prompts on twitter. they actually seem to fit together pretty well...?

 

Kaoru doesn’t see how taking care of an dud duck egg with someone is supposed to teach childcare skills, but it’s an easy assignment: come back with the egg intact after a week—simple.

He just wasn’t expecting Itsuki-kun to get so... _attached._

Before he knows it the egg has an outfit, a basket to lie in, and pretty little drawn-on eyes, and it’s _really_ not Kaoru’s fault that the name ‘Maduckmoiselle’ leaves his lips, equal parts teasing and fond.

 

* * *

 

Kaoru never expected that Mademoiselle would try singing him to sleep, but combined with the noises of the bus and the soft snores of their classmates in the other seats it almost works. At least until Mademoiselle’s voice fades out and Itsuki-kun’s picks up the second verse and suddenly Kaoru’s heart is thumping a million beats per minute.

And if Kaoru keeps his eyes closed and “sleepily” tilts his burning face the other way just to make sure he can hear the rest of it...well...no one has to know.

 

* * *

 

“Ouch Itsuki-kun, you’re grabbing a little tight aren’t you?” is what Kaoru ends up saying rather than the ‘if you get any closer to me I might pass out’ that’s been playing a non-stop loop in his head ever since Itsuki-kun latched onto him.

It’s cute though, the way Itsuki-kun glares down at his own feet like they’ve betrayed him, the way he wobbles on his ice-skates, the way the cold puts pink on his chee—

“Hazake, you’ve stopped moving.”

...oops.

 

* * *

 

Kaoru sends the video request five times in a row before Shu finally answers, his harried image popping up on-screen and looking about two seconds away from picking up that fabled ax Kaoru’s heard so much about.

But the moment he sees that the call’s connected, sees Kaoru’s face too, his whole expression softens, a small and infinitely warm smile making his eyes sparkle. “Kaoru,” he greets with the barest hint of a French inflection, leaning forward like he’s thinking of reaching through the screen to touch him—and even though the thought of that makes Kaoru ache with missing him, it’s the sweetest ache he’s ever felt.

 

* * *

 

Rei had expected to find Kaoru a little more morose when he got back—after all, this last minute live was keeping Kaoru away from his boyfriend when Shu was _finally_ visiting Japan from his year-long sojourn in France—but instead finds him collapsed sideways over the arm of a chair in the dressing room, wheeze-laughing with his phone dangling loosely from his fingertips. Rei snatches it before Kaoru can protest and looks at the open text:

Kagehira Mika: i think oshisan might miss ya

-attached: an image of shu looking looking out the window of a train, chin propped in his hand, rendered in the most emo shades of black and white with the overlaying text reading “when bae isn’t home”

 


	3. sleeping together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> another prompt from twitter: sleeping together
> 
> always happy to write cuddling shenanigans +_+

Itsuki Shu only sleeps one of two ways, like a corpse with his hands on his chest or curled up into the tightest ball possible, and like most things with Shu, Kaoru has a hard time deciding whether that’s more hilarious or just super, super cute. But...it’s definitely making cuddling more of a challenge than it should be.

Right now Shu’s rigid on his back in corpse mode, spine perfectly straight and hands laced just above his abdomen, looking more like a statue or fancy painting in his frilled nightshirt than a real human person. The last time Kaoru was in this situation, when it had rained and Shu wouldn't let him walk back home in the dark like that, Kaoru had been way too timid to disturb him and had just laid there awkwardly on the other side of the bed the whole night, but this time? This time he’s determined.

The cuddling _will_ happen.

Kaoru takes a bracing breath and then just goes for it, trying to flop half on top of Shu, but instantly Shu’s bony knuckles dig into the tenderest parts of Kaoru’s ribcage and Kaoru rolls off with an ‘ow!’, sighing his defeat face-first into the pillow.

Okay, so attempt one failed. Kaoru levers himself up, scoots closer, and considers his options. Maybe he can wiggle under that arm?

“Come on, Shu-kun~” he cajoles with a whisper, prying at an elbow. It sticks stubbornly to Shu’s side. “Don’t you want— “ _Tug._ “—to get—” _Tug._ “—a little cozier~?!”

Shu stirs, and Kaoru drops the arm like he’s been burned. Oops. Haha...

But instead of waking up Shu just murmurs something that sounds more French than Japanese, head lolling to the side towards him. Kaoru relaxes. Then he frowns. What else can he even try?

As a last ditch effort Kaoru scoots so close that the whole length of Shu is pressed up against Kaoru’s front, Kaoru gingerly laying his arm across him.

Well.

It is, _technically_ speaking, cuddling. Shu’s as stiff as a board though. Kaoru pouts, but nuzzles into Shu’s shoulder anyway. He’ll take what he can get, it’s not that...bad…

...um...?

Before Kaoru can even yelp he feels arms wrap sharply around him, and the first panicked thought that shoots through his brain is that Itsuki Shu is snapping closed like a clam and he’s going to crack Kaoru in half like a pencil.

Thankfully that doesn’t happen.

Instead Kaoru’s face is pressed firmly into Shu’s chest, just under the collarbone, with Shu’s arms settling snug around his back. Has Kaoru...unlocked a hidden third sleeping position?! It kind of feels like he's a big teddy bear, all squished up to him like this. Does Shu sleep with stuffed animals sometimes...? Laughing as quietly as he can manage, Kaoru threads his own arms around Shu and then entwines their legs for good measure.

Now this...this is something he could get used to. Kaoru smiles, snuggles in close, and gently, gradually falls asleep.


	4. bathing together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> totally forgot to post this thing on here i've had this twitter prompt filled for ages

“Um, Itsuki-kun?”

Kaoru would be embarrassed at how high his voice squeaks, but Shu’s tugging up the hem of Kaoru’s shirt with single-minded purpose and there’s water running in the bathroom and Shu’s not leaving???

“Hm? What is it?” Shu fastidiously folds Kaoru’s shirt and sets it aside before rolling the sleeves of his own up above his elbows.

“I was just wondering why you’re... still in here…?”

Shu blinks like he doesn’t understand the question. “You mentioned that you were feeling ‘gross and sweaty.’”

“Right. So…” 

They stare at each other for a long moment, locked in a standstill, and it takes everything Kaoru has to not self-consciously cross his arms over his bare chest, the only sound the rumbling of the tub filling up. 

“I was going to assist you,” Shu adds, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. 

And okay, yeah, maybe they’ve gotten close, and done some  _ things _ , and seen some  _ other _ things, but Kaoru’s not sure he’s down with this plan where he’s getting stripped and Shu isn’t. Feels too impersonal, unbalanced, like Shu’s going to scrub down a dog or something, when what Kaoru really wants is…

When Kaoru reaches out and slips a button of Shu’s shirt free Shu’s face loses every shred of composure it has, and later when they’re in the tub together Kaoru can feel Shu warm against his back, those hands holding his, a pumice stone gently sloughing away rough skin. 

“You’re gonna let me take care of you too after this, right~?”

Kaoru delights in Shu’s sputtering.

“I…” Shu clears his throat, voice getting softer. “Well. If you insist.”

Kaoru rewards him with a kiss.


	5. touching noses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another prompt from twitter, ft an annoyed izumi

Izumi had thought nothing could be worse than seeing Itsuki and Kaoru moon over each other.

He’d been so horrifically wrong.

Sure, it had been annoying before to see Kaoru trot over with a sunny smile to greet Mademoiselle every morning, darting glances up at Itsuki every five seconds like everyone else in the whole stupid classroom was blind, but now that they’re finally together? Being in the same room as them has to qualify as a torture technique.

When Izumi hazards a glance over, Itsuki’s clicking his tongue and holding Kaoru’s face still while he applies concealer under his eyes, murmuring something in what barely constitutes as a chiding tone, gushy fondness practically beaming out of his eyes. Kaoru just laughs in response, and when Itsuki tugs him in even closer to check over his work Kaoru easily follows, cheeks red.

Izumi rolls his eyes and looks at the clock. If he’s lucky class will start before—

“Ah, stay here a moment, the light is catching your eyes in the most enchanting way.”

—before they start  _ flirting _ . Izumi pulls a face. 

“Yeah? I have a pretty good view here too, you know~”

Ew, this is  _ unbearable. _ Izumi snaps his head over, mouth opening, and then nearly chokes on his barbed comment. They’re nuzzling their noses together. Well, Kaoru’s the one doing it, but  _ whatever _ , they’re nuzzling their noses in the middle of class. Where’s the embarrassment?! The shame? Those two used to have so much of that.

Izumi throws his eraser at Kaoru’s head and huffs, only slightly mollified by the yelp he gets in return. He never thought he’d say this in a million years, but he almost misses Idiot Playboy Kaoru. Now he’s just an idiot in love.


End file.
